National League Roundup : Hernandez Erupts With 7 RBIs as Gooden Easily Wins No. 5, 13-4

Although he batted .290, hit 18 home runs and drove in 89 runs last season, Keith Hernandez was one of the players criticized by teammate Darryl Strawberry when the New York Mets failed to win the National League East.

Three weeks into this season, there were whispers that the 34-year-old first baseman was slipping. He was batting only .158, had no home runs and had driven in only 4 runs.

All Hernandez needed was to get into a hitter’s park. It happened Tuesday night at Atlanta.

Hernandez hit two home runs, including a grand slam, drove in a career-high seven runs and made it easy for Dwight Gooden to become the league’s first 5-game winner.

It wasn’t a masterpiece, but Gooden (5-0) got away with a 10-hit performance because Hernandez led the Mets’ 13-4 assault on the Braves (3-14).

Gary Carter hit his league-leading seventh home run for the Mets, who broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh with two runs, then broke it open with seven in the eighth, four of them on Hernandez’s slam.

It was the third complete game for Gooden, who gave up just three earned runs.

Although he wasn’t the loser, Tom Glavine keeps drawing tough opponents. In addition to Gooden, he has faced Fernando Valenzuela, Mike Scott and Orel Hershiser. No wonder he’s 0-3.

San Diego 1, St. Louis 0--Eric Show gave up 10 hits, but four double plays helped him out of jams, and Carmelo Martinez hit a seventh-inning home run for the only run.

Show, who was 0-3 and had an 8.36 ERA going into the game, turned in the fourth consecutive well-pitched game by a Padre and the third shutout in a row.

Martinez, subbing at first base for the injured John Kruk, hit the home run off Randy Neal after John Tudor made an impressive first appearance of the season.

Tudor, out with a shoulder injury, gave up four hits in six scoreless innings.

The Cardinals threatened in almost every inning. They had runners on first and third with nobody out in fourth.

In the ninth, Ozzie Smith singled, but Willie McGee hit into a double play. Bob Horner followed with a triple, but Terry Pendleton grounded out to end the game.

Pittsburgh 2, San Francisco 0--The Pirates are not allowing the Mets, despite Gooden’s start, to gain any ground.

The Pirates, opening a swing West at San Francisco, started another young pitcher, 23-year-old left-hander John Smiley.

Smiley came within one out of getting a shutout in just his fourth start. With two out in the ninth, he had a 3-hitter. But, when Candy Maldonado blooped a single to center, Manager Jim Leyland brought in bullpen ace Jim Gott.

Jeffrey Leonard singled, but pinch-hitter Mike Aldrete bounced back to Gott and the Pirates had improved their best start since 1937 to 14-4.

The Giants have failed to score in their last 19 innings. Rick Reuschel (3-1) was the loser.

Cincinnati 5, Montreal 2--April has not been a good month for Eric Davis, but he finally had another good game in this one at Montreal.

The Reds’ slugger entered the game batting only .183 with 1 homer and 5 RBIs. Last April, he batted .364, hit 7 homers and had 16 RBIs.

Davis, who struck out 23 times in his first 71 at-bats, hit his second home run of the season and drove in two runs to Ron Robinson picked up his first win. Robinson (1-2) gave up one unearned run and three hits in 5 innings, then the bullpen took over.

Davis, who was 2 for 5, was 3 for 25 last week.

Houston 3, Philadelphia 1--Mike Scott (4-0) gave up three hits and struck out 12 in 8 innings at Houston as the Astros ended a 3-game losing streak.

Loser Shane Rawley (0-4) struck out six batters in six innings, but failed to win in his 12th consecutive start. Since last Aug. 31 when he won his 17th victory, he has yet to win.

His ERA in his last 12 starts is 6.00.